Influencers that actually work
You don't need reach, you need affinity. Micro-influencers with 5k to 20k followers convert better than mass accounts. How to apply it at your hotel.
When I talk with hoteliers about influencers, many tell me the same thing: "We paid for a campaign with someone who has 200,000 followers and saw nothing."
The problem isn't the channel. It's the selection criteria.
Affinity, not reach
The traditional logic of influencer marketing works like this: more followers = more reach = more results. The logic of modern marketing says something different: more affinity = more conversion.
A micro-influencer with 8,000 followers who travels with their family and documents the experience has an audience that trusts their recommendations. When they say "this hotel was amazing for us", their audience believes it because they know them, have followed them for a while, and trust their judgment.
An account with 200,000 followers posting varied content has more reach and less trust per post.
Profiles that work for hotels
- Family travel: @viajandoconmami, @mamisybebes, @mamasviajeras (and their local equivalents)
- Workation and remote work: profiles that document living and working from different places
- Sustainable tourism: if your hotel has any sustainability credentials
- Local cuisine: if breakfast or the restaurant is part of your offering
- Wellness: if you have a spa, yoga, or something related
How to apply it step by step
- Define who you want to attract to the hotel: families, couples, nomads, solo travelers.
- Look for profiles aligned with that traveler profile on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Pay attention to the engagement rate, not just the follower count.
- Validate quickly: look at the last 10 posts. Do they generate real conversation? Are the comments genuine?
- Simple outreach: a clear direct message: what you're offering (a stay in exchange for content), what you expect (specific posts, stories, mentions).
- Ask for real moments: not posed photos in the room. Real moments: breakfast, the morning view, the check-in.
For the first time, the whole WeSpeak team together
This week, for the first time in the company's history, the entire WeSpeak team was in the same place. A moment I won't forget.
Thanks to everyone who makes it possible for more hotels to grow with WeSpeak every week.
— Gonzalo Rioja
